Just another gimmick.
Seems there’s yet another ‘great idea’ for bloggers that’s turning out to be just another gimmick (referral link). There’s a new tool called BlogRush that you can sign up for that is supposed to help you get traffic by ’sharing’ your own traffic. You put this widget on your blog, and it displays posts from other blogs in your niche (supposedly) - you get a ‘credit’ every time you show the widget (each impression), the credit allows your most recent post to be displayed on other blogs, hopefully bringing you traffic. (Try it if you want, see if it works for you - BlogRush - referral link.)
From sounding good, to nails on a blackboard.
Sounds good, eh? Well, in practice, it has been a nightmare. We have put it on a test site, and have earned about 1000 times more credits than we spend. So, basically, we could remove the widget right now, and still get our posts showing up on other blogs for the next year (somehow I don’t think it’ll happen).
Here’s where the BS starts - and why I say BlogRush is a BUST. Since the ‘launch’ of this new tool, their reporting system has been non-functional to raw at best. It seems they launched with a good idea, but don’t have a workable system in place to support it. That has peeved a LOT of people. (See the comments of many unhappy people - between the usual ass-kissers, here.) BUT THEN, all subscribers were sent an email today pointing to a post that says that if your widget doesn’t perform to BlogRush’s criteria, it’ll be removed. AND, they suggest the best way to increase performance is to move it above the fold - in essence, replace whatever makes you money with a widget that will send your traffic somewhere else. BUT, the widget only comes in one size - 175px wide - which doesn’t even fit most blog layouts, so they CAN’T move it above the fold - without breaking the design.
What REALLY has gotten me about this crap is that the owner is sending out emails and blog posts announcing fixes - that aren’t even DONE YET!! ……..WHO CARES - FIX IT, THEN TELL ME!!!!!!! It is quite clear that they are just trying to create hype so fewer people see through the BS.
The BIG question:
Here’s the pertinent question: “Is it sending people ‘good’ or ’satisfactory’ amounts of traffic?” Well, not me. And not many others it seems (don’t be fooled by the comments of those suggesting they’re getting lots of extra traffic - where they might have had 10 visitors per day before, now they have 20. Big F****** Deal. It puts ‘doubling your traffic’ into perspective. Rationally, here’s the numbers: There are none. I would love to give you numbers, but the reporting system (they are working on) doesn’t tell me how many times my posts have been displayed, so I can’t calculate a CTR to see how well the widget works. BUT, I can tell you this: we’ve earned 48,138 credits in the last 7 days. We’ve had 32 referrals.
It’s disgusting. It’s revolting - and many are. They’re dropping this widget like it’s made of snake oil. This guy John Reese is on a real ego trip if he thinks he can get bloggers to put his widget above that which makes them an income without providing a sensible way to make it work for everyone. Good luck John Reese.
I’m getting really sick of hypey internet dictators….
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BlogRush is a Blog BUST
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Readers, this is the type of blogger that NEEDS BlogRush (see above) - check out his site to see what I mean, really.
Wallybanners, I challenge you to contact me and we’ll have a conversation about ‘wheres your ideas for getting traffic so easily like blogrush’… I have proven stats that just may make you reconsider your statement. And, you’ll soon see Mr Reese ain’t so smart. Getting traffic is pretty easy, ….umm, DAMN easy - customer service is the hard part.
BTW, Here’s my (broken) stats from BlogRush for ONE SITE:
Credits Earned Today: 10,114
Credits Earned Last 7 Days: 61,324
Your Traffic Today: 9,867
Your Traffic Last 7 Days 59,840
Total Referrals In Your Network: 5
Referral Traffic Today: 247
Referral Traffic Last 7 Days: 1,484
BTW WallyBanners, I did get laid recently, ask your mother.
(Sorry, I couldn’t resist - purely humor folks.) 
Now get out from underneath Mr. Reese, WallyBanners….
lol i told ya my blog was crappier than your no lie there. your stats prove that but if you were so good with seo you wouldn’t have joined blog rush right?
And so now, WallyBanners, you shall learn the first lesson of internet marketing (BlogRush has little to do with SEO)…
DO WHATEVER YOU CAN TO GET TRAFFIC, DUDE!
I’m sure your comments here might even earn you a few visits.
Read a few more posts here and you just might make a living ranting one day…. hint, hint.
I’m on your site because I clicked on the link in the Blog Rush widget on my blog. My feeling is that the system has potential, so I’m sticking with it for a while. No harm done if it ends up sucking.
I left the link to a post I did about Blog Rush, and how it’s up to bloggers wither it works or not. If we attempt to click through to articles on the blogs we read anyway, it just might work.
And, yes, less popular blogs will benefit more.
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hmm sounds like you need to get laid my friend so bitter!! Blogrush works perfectly for me. Maybe your just to brilliant for us regular bloggers. Considering my blog is even crappier than yours am grateful for a hit any hit even if its by mistake . Btw mr smart wheres your ideas for getting traffic so easily like blogrush? As far as John Reese the man is a genius!!